The present invention relates to a seat interlock system for a vehicle seat having a folding seatback equipped with an integral child seat. The seat interlock system is operative to prevent deployment of the integral child seat when the seatback is unlatched from its upright position and is further operable to prevent the seatback from being unlatched when the integral child seat is deployed.
Virtually all motor vehicles are equipped with safety belt restraint systems for physically restraining the seat occupant when the vehicle is subjected to a high rate of deceleration which may occur, for example, during a motor vehicle collision or severe braking. While conventional safety belt restraint systems are well-suited for restraining adult passengers, it is a common practice to use a portable (i.e., "add-on") child seat having a belt-type harness for children under a given age and weight. For instance, most portable child seats are rated for children weighing forty pounds or less and are generally recommended for use with children under the age of four years. As is known, such portable child seats are placed on top of the vehicle seat and secured thereto using the existing vehicular safety belt restraint system.
In an effort to minimize the inconveniences associated with installing and/or stowing portable child seats, some vehicles are equipped with "integral" child seats that are built into the seatback of the vehicle seat. Typically, such integral child seats include a cushioned panel that is rotatably mounted to the seatback. In a stowed position, the cushioned panel forms a portion of the adult seatback. However, when the integral child seat is deployed, the cushioned panel forms a horizontal seat cushion that is adapted to support a child occupant seated thereon. Additional components of the integral child seat (i.e., belt harness, retractor, etc.) may also be included in the seatback.
It is also known to use a seating arrangement for the rear seat in motor vehicles that incorporates one or more fold-down seatback panels to provide enhanced access to the rear storage or trunk area. In such seating arrangements, the fold-down seatback panel is pivotally mounted at its lower end for rotation between an upright position and a forwardly folded position. When the seatback panel is articulated to its folded position, the rear seating area communicates with the space behind the seatback panel, effectively merging the trunk or storage area and the rear seating area. Conventionally, such fold-down seatback panels include a seatback latch mechanism that is operable for locking the seatback panel in its upright position and which must be selectively actuated to release the seatback panel for subsequent movement to its folded position.
As will be appreciated, motor vehicles equipped with seats having one or more deployable-type integral child seats are extremely popular in view of the enhanced conveniences provided. However, the operational requirements of an integral child seat can potentially conflict with the operational requirements of a fold-down seatback panel. As such, interlock systems have been developed which function to operably couple the seatback latch mechanism to the integral child seat. In operation, the interlock system prevents deployment of the integral child seat when the seatback panel is unlatched in addition to preventing release of the fold-down seatback panel when the integral child seat is deployed. Unfortunately, development of a common fold-down seatback panel for use with and without integral child seats has heretobefore been problematic since such arrangements typically require that extensive modifications be made of the seatback latch mechanism due to incorporation of the interlock system. Furthermore, when installation of a seat having a fold-down seatback equipped with an integral child seat is desired, multiple components associated with the interlock system must be operatively installed within the vehicle before the seat can be installed.
In view of the above, a need clearly exists to develop a vehicle seat having a deployable-type integral child seat built into a foldable seatback panel which overcomes the shortcomings of known constructions and yet which can be readily adapted for use in various vehicular seating applications.